Song of the Day #4, July 1st

 Song of the Day #4, July 1st

Neil Young: Heart of Gold (1972)

I want to live 

I want to give 

I've been a miner 

For a heart of gold

It's these expressions 

I never give 

That keep me searching 

For a heart of gold

Country Rock/Soft Rock/Folk Rock 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7eB7Wns1-M&pp=ygUNaGVhcnQgb2YgZ29sZA%3D%3D

Song of the Day #2, June 29

 Song of the Day #2 June 29

Peter Gabriel: Games Without Frontiers

If looks could kill, they probably will

In games without frontiers, war without tears 

Art Rock/Pop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xZmlUV8muY&ab_channel=PeterGabriel

Song of the day #1, June 28

 Song of the Day #1,  June 28

The Modern Lovers: Roadrunner (1972)

The highway is your girlfriend as you go by quick

Garage Rock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZWoJ8_75Mo&ab_channel=Antonio

Fleet Foxes: Shore (2020) (Folk,Pop,Rock)

Much more poppy than last efforts. Many pop ballads work well in their sphere and the punchy drums and colourful instrumentation helps give life to many songs, with many being well written. Some ballads are a bit to watered down. 

Chamber Folk/Folk-Pop/Folk Rock

Gryphon: Red Queen to Gryphon Tree (Folk, Instrumental, Progressive Rock) (1974)

Other than the song titles and the occasional tension, not much gives the impression of a "chess album" but the slight medieval tinges and pleasant motifs (especially on the 3rd song) do give a beautiful archaic tang much like much of fantastical scene of 70s UK prog, but this much with an apparent baroque and folk influence while still maintaining electronic instruments, organs, a rustic percussion section and all the gimmicks and intricacies of prog.

Medieval Folk/Progressive Folk/Progressive Rock

Donovan: A Gift From a Flower to a Garden (1967) (Folk,Pop,Rock)

The hippie tendencies run deep and the faint nature of many songs will be worthwhile for those wishing to relive this era. As charming Donovan's whimsical and earthy sing is, at times the performances and instrumentals don't take as much authority rather seeming frivolous and too passive. Highlights include Wear your love like Heaven, There Was a Time, Someone Singing.






Folk-Rock/Psychedelic Pop

Gene Clark: No Other (1974) (Country, Folk, Rock)

Encapsulated sentiments of 60s counterculture but this time rather than reiterating the same tired anti establish motifs, it is rather passive and accepting, vying between spiritual and grounded, with tailored production yet maintaining the Midwest authenticity.

Country Rock/Folk Rock/Psychedelic Rock

Neil Young: Homegrown (2020) (Country,Folk,Rock)

Recorded between 1974 and 1975. For the most part quaint country-folk ballads with the occasional rock tune largely relating to Young's relationships at the time. A good batch of folk songs from one of the greatest in the genre.








Country/Folk/Rock

Jeff Rosenstock: NO DREAM (Punk, Rock) (2020)

The scrappy punk energy is effectively encapsulated in intimate, angsty tunes that foray into power pop even if many of the songs may seem short the performances explosive. Sonically NO DREAM may not be too elaborate or novel, but Jeff's performances are for the most part explosive, emotive and compelling enough to connect with most punk, rock, pop fans (in that order). Favourite tracks include Nikes (Alt), Scram!, N O D R E A M, State Line, The Beauty of Breathing, Honeymoon Ashtray.




Indie Rock/Power Pop/Punk Rock

Kyuss: Welcome to Sky Valley (1994) (Metal,Rock)

The high-intensity hellish energy of their previous albums becomes much more condensed. Though not as experimental as Blues For The Red Sun, Welcome to Sky Valley refines the stoner metal genre through more intricate and filling, lengthy compositions. The guitars and drums remain monstrous crushing and intense, but this time there is a bit more composure, they sound sharper, but at the same time the production feels open like you are listening to a band play in the stary nights of California. A real gem in the genre and should be listened to even if you are not a fan of the genre.







Heavy Psych/Stoner Metal/Stoner Rock

Kyuss: Blues For The Red Sun (1992) (Metal,Rock)

Some songs sound like fiery mosh pits (Green Machine, Writhe), others like psychedelic trips that slowly warp into nightmares (50 Millions Year Trip, Apothecaries' Weight), some more serious and foreboding, others more comedic and rebellious punk. Kyuss's energy is destructive, occasionally spacey, and often unbridled, with a versatile sound but raw sound, managing to craft one of the most influential albums in the stoner rock/metal catalogue. 




Heavy Psych, Stoner Rock, Stoner Metal

Ween: The Mollusk (1997) (Rock)

At times very ridiculous, and occasionally serious. The Mollusk is an ironic collection of songs loosely tied by elements of sea and sailors that often border on insanity.  The shanties (Blarney Stone, She Wanted to Leave) are a lot of fun and the psychedelic tinges feel like a dreamy ocean. 

Art Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Sea Shanties

Paul Simon: Graceland (1986) (Pop,Rock)

Some trendies will be writhing in contempt as the white saviour comes to appropriate many ethnic styles, most of the South African origin. But, Paul is respected enough as a musician and for the most part genuine enough in his adoption of these styles that much of this criticism becomes baseless and ideological. The songs are translated into poppier, more refined songs for a western audience with bright showy instrumentation that is well-produced and will make listeners believe themselves to be fans of "world" music.

Best Tracks: The Boy in the Bubble, Graceland, Gumboots, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al*, Under African Skies*, Crazy Love, Vol. II, All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints*






Pop Rock/ Zulu Music

Neutral Milk Hotel: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998) (Folk,Rock)

A hallmark in indie folk music that remains daunting and sonically exhilarating. With enough complexity and esoteric lyrics to remain compelling after multiple listens, even if Magnum's voice is whiny and hard to listen to at times, the emotion and absurdity of the project strikes home, in one of the immortalized "hipster" albums of recent decades.



Best Tracks: King of Carrot Flowers Pt.1*, King of Carrot Flowers Pts.2 & 3*, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea*, Two-Headed Boy, The Fool, Holland, 1945*, Communist Daughter, Two-Headed Boy Pt.2



Folk Punk/ Indie Rock/ Psychedelic Folk

Love: Forever Changes (1967) (Folk,Pop,Rock)

It would be easy to say Forever Changes is just one of many feel-good hippie albums of the 60s, but in listening closer, it transcends that moniker. With its enduring, socially potent lyrics, bright, lush instrumentation and excellent songwriting, shifting from melancholy, longing and fervour all in a poetic existential tone, Forever Changes is a timeless well-defined linchpin of 60s era psychedelia. A lighting in the bottle moment, effectively encapsulating it's era in such a cohesive manner to point that it is everlasting. The news of today will be the movies of tomorrow. 

Best Tracks: Alone Again Or*, A House Is Not a Motel*, Andmoreagain*, The Daily Planet*, Old Man, The Red Telephone*, Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale*, Live and Let Live*, The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This*, Bummer in the Summer, You Set the Scene


S+ Summer Vibes/ Baroque Pop/ Pop Rock/ Psychadelic Folk 

Lou Reed: Transformer (1972) (Rock)

With typical Lou Reed swagger, Transformer is a poppy glam rock record that still holds onto much of the dirt, hedonism, and instrumental fulfilment of his Velvet Underground days. The songs are simple and sufficient, never too arduous or taxing, yet incredibly catchy and diverse, with a large range of energetic performances, from punk-like to slower more art rock-inspired, with consistent quirk and wit to throw serious listeners off guard. One of the benchmarks in glam-rock, Transformer is a must-listen for pop and rock fans alike. 


Best Tracks: Vicious*, Perfect Day*, Hangin' Round*, Walk On the Wild Side*, Make Up, Satellite of Love*, Wagon Wheel, New York Telephone Conversation, I'm So Free*


S

Art rock/Glam rock/Pop rock

Steely Dan: Can't Buy a Thrill (1972) (Pop, Rock)

With lush, warm instrumentation, Steely Dan make an easy-going but very satisfying album that reeks of summer fun. The tunes are poppy in composition, very soul-inspired and consistently an easy listen yet instrumentally coloured with bright horns, catchy piano and organ melodies and sharply tuned guitars all recorded very pristinely. The lyrics are quite pristine as well, catchy and seem to paint a refined metropolitan feeling throughout the album. Now it sounds very boomer but excellent at that.

Best Tracks: Do It Again, Dirty Work*, King*, Only A Fool Would Say That*, Reelin' In The Years*, Fire In The Hole, Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me), Change Of The Guard

A


Jazz-Rock/Pop-Rock/Yacht-Rock

Fleet Foxes: Crack-Up (2017) (Folk, Rock)

On their third album, Fleet Foxes have effectively sidestepped the evident retro-folk inspirations of previous albums and replaced them with grand orchestral arrangments with more intricacy. The sound is quite a departure from previous albums with much more eclectic instrumentation, incorporating more studio techniques such as sampling and electronic instruments as well as heavier elements of rock. The diversity in sounds is often enjoyable and feels like a unique progression of their sound, but also has the album going through a decent amount of filtration and washes of reverb. The lyrical tone remains similar to their last album, however this time it seems more cerebral and conscious of creating grand folk odysseys. Rather than sounding like the earthy landscapes of previous albums, Crack-Up sounds watery, occasionally stormy and purifying, at times haunting but at times indistinct.

Best Tracks: I Am All That I Need/ Arroyo Secco/ Thumbprint Scar, -Naiads, Cassadias*, Third of May/ Ōdaigahara*, If You Need to, Keep Time on Me, On Another Ocean (January / June)




B+

Chamber Folk/ Folk Rock/ Psychedelic Folk 

Rina Sawayama: SAWAYAMA (2020) (Pop, Rock, R&B)

It's refreshing to see an artist so drastically redefine themself so early in their career. Though she previously released an EP (RINA), SAWAYAMA is her full-fledged introduction, touching on themes of family, friends, this album is a more effective portrait of the artist. The naive image of her last EP is gone, now she has an apparent swagger as shown explicitly in Comme des Garcons or in her more fiery confrontational heavy metal excursions (STFU!). This confidence translated largely into a more eclectic but scattered sound. The album is maximalist, in production which allows for a lot of refreshing sounds but can also drown out the punch of certain melodies. The compositions are for the most part simple but also diverse and captivating ranging from breezy pop (Comme des Garcons) to groove metal pop (STFU!). Though not especially innovative to the genres she borrows from, SAWAYAMA is still a project full of well-crafted pop songs expressed in a bold and enjoyable manner.

Best Tracks: Dynasty, STFU!*, Paradisin', Love Me 4 Me, Bad Friend, Who's Gonna Save U Now?, Chosen Family


B

Alternative Rock/ Contemporary R&B/ Dance-Pop

Yves Tumor: Heaven to a Tortured Mind (2020) (Pop,Rock,Soul)

Much more concise, cleaned and less experimental than his previous release. Sean Bowie aka Yves Tumor's newest record is his own spin of glam rock and psychedelic soul merged together in an accessible pop format. The instrumentation draws from art-rock, funk and soul sounds of past years yet still feels fresh and modern. The bass and drums are punchy throughout the record and the instrumentation remains bright and well produced. A few of the forays into soul are not as eventful as others (A Greater Love) and certain songs can feel unfulfilling whether it be through lack of structure or development but this issue is mitigated by the much more direct poppy approach. 

Best Tracks: Gospel For A New Century, Kerosene!, Romanticist, Dream Palette*, Super Stars



B

Art Rock/ Glam Rock/Psychadelic Pop/ Psychadelic Soul